Folding machine



April 28, 1942. M. KAHN FOLDING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 22, 1939 INVENTOR LEO M. KAHN ATTORNEY) Patented Apr. 28, 1942 Original application September 22, 1939, Serial No. 296,059. Divided and this application May 29, 1941, Serial No. 395,788.

September 22, 1938 4 Claims.

This invention relates to folding machines such as are used in laundries for folding towels, sheets and the like, and relates more specifically to the timing mechanism in such machines.

The folding machine timing mechanisms herein described are of the type which operates selectively in accordance with the length of the article which is fed into the machine, 1. e., which folds the article in two, three, or four, according to its length.

In this general type of timer, the motions of the folding blades have been controlled by electrlc circuits which have been opened and closed by roving contacts. In a Mayer machine, these contacts moved with the same speed over varying paths with electrodes at various points thereof (see United States Patent No. 1,581,753). The movable contacts were magnetized buttons at all times gripped magnetically between the disks, two of which were of iron. A large portion of the time, including all periods when the machine was in operation and no articles were being fed into it, the buttons which were in contact with the disks were restrained from moving with them. The resulting friction between the disks and the buttons had serious consequences. The buttons became worn and would jamb. The heat of the friction destroyed the buttons magnetism.

It is an object of this invention to provide a timer which utilizes movable contacts of the kind described above but in which friction is reduced to the amount normally present in any machine; to provide such a timer in which the movable contacts are positively and mechanically moved along their paths; to provide such a timer '2 in which there is relatively no friction between the movable contacts and the element which moves them, even while they are motionless and that element is moving.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying'drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a sectional view of the device taken along the line Il of Fig. 2

Fi 2 is a sectional view of the same device taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of Fig. 2, showing the parts at a difierent stage of their operation; while Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modification of an element shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

The timing device here shown is similar to that In Great Britain disclosed in the above named Mayer patent and 55 I may be used in many types of folding machines,

such for instance as the one shown in the above named Mayer patent or in my above mentioned copending application. In any case, the article to be folded moves along a travelling conveyor, past a measuring finger and then past one or more folding blades in series, each of which may be operated by a solenoid in response to timer control which in turn. is subject to control from the measuring switch. This type of mechanism is well known to those skilled in this art and needs no further illustration or description here.

In Fig. 1, l0 denotes a sprocket whereby the motion of the timer is synchronized with the motion of the conveyors of the folding machine. Gearing connects the sprocket to horizontal shaft l2 which passes through a fixed insulating disk It having metallic strips IS on or flush with its surface. The strips are connected by lead wires ll to the proper solenoids for operating the folding blades. Two disks l8, one on each side of disk H, are attached to and movable with shaft l2 and are of magnetic material. They operate alike in controlling the motion of the contacts 22 against the strips and one only will be further described. A nonmagnetic annulus 20, for example of brass, is fixedly positioned around and coplanar with disk l8. It may be attached as a rim to disk i8 (see Fig. 4). .A plurality of movable, permanently magnetized contacts 22 lie between the magnetic and the fixed disks and are supported by a part of the frame 24 which surrounds the disks.

The operation of the device is as follows: An article entering the folding machine closes the above mentioned measuring switch. Solenoid 26 is energized and attracts armature lever 28 which pivots and presses idler 30 against measuring plunger 32. The latter comes in contact (see Fig. 3) with friction feed roll 34 which is geared to sprocket ID. The second solenoid and plunger shown in Fig. 1 are for the second magnetic disk and operate similarly. The plunger moving upwardly tips trip 36, allowing one contact 22 to fall into the cup at the end of the plunger. The single contact is carried upwardly by the plunger as shown in Fig. 3. When the rear edge of the article on the folding machine passes the switch mentioned, the switch opens, solenoid 26 is decnergized, idler 30 ceases to press the plunger past all of the strips it his against roll 34, and the plunger falls, leaving the contact 12 to be carried by the magnetic disk it past strips II. The engagement of the contact 22 with one of the strips ll completes respective circuits through the strips and the metallic rotating disk. Each of these circuits enters the timer through an electrical connection at a and passes through disk It. The circuit is then completed through a contactbutton 22, a strip It and one or the wires l'l leading to the appropriate solenoid.-

the housing 24 and shaft i: to.

positicn,saidcriginaiposit icnbeingoutsidethe magneticinnuencectaaidrotarycontactcarrier.

2. Theccmbinsiioninatimingmechanismwith arotarycontactcarrierandasupportadjacent to one iaco of said carrier provided withfixed contacts, of a plurality of contact buttons between which and said rotary carrier magnetic relation exists to'cause the contact buttons to adhere movably to the face of the rotary carrier inanyadiustedpositimmeansiorreleasingone contact button at a time to the action of the rotary carrier, means for shifting the button movably along the face of the rotary carrier to 1. The combination in a timing mechanism with a rotary contact carrier and a support adjacent to one face of said carrier provided with fixed contacts; or a plurality of contact buttons between which and said rotary carrier magnetic.

relation exists to cause the contact buttons to adhere movably to the face of the rotary carrier in any adjusted position, means for releasing one contact button at a time to the action oi the rotary carrier, means for shifting the button movably along the face of the rotary carrier to a predetermined position in proper relation to any one of said fixed contacts, and means ior returning the contact button to its original a predetermined position in proper relation to any one of said fixed contacts, and means ior returning the contact button to its original position, the outermost portion 01 said contact carrier being nonmagnetic and said original positionbeing outside of the magnetic portion of saidcarrier. 4

3..1he combination in a timing mechanism oi a rotary contact carrier, at contact button held magnetically on the face of the carrier and shiftable in any direction on the face oi said carrier, means for moving said button from an original position beyond the magnetic influence of said carrier, and means for returning said button to said position. 4. Thecombinatloninatimingmechanism of afrotary contact carrier having an outer nonmagnetic portion, a contact button held magnetically on the face of the carrier and shiitable in any direction on the race 0! said carrier, means for moving said button from an original position adjacent said nonmagnetic portion, and

means for returning said button to said position.

' LEO M. KAHN. 

